ax So ething Extra Help Save An Israeli Child Lousy Scheduling The American Friends of Magen David Adorn (ARMDI) is asking for funding to help an Israeli child in need of a bone marrow transplant. After Benjamin and Shlomit Uziel's 8-year-old son, Jonathan, died of a rare genet- ic disease in 2003, their younger son, Itamar, now 4, was discovered to also carry the defective gene that causes the same illness, adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). Typically, within two years of ALD diagnosis, the child will suffer the loss of all cognitive, mental and physical functions and deteriorate into a vegetative state lead- ing to death. Learning that Itamar's life may be saved through a bone marrow transplant from a suitable and healthy donor — preferably a family member with compatible tissue structure — the Uziels decided to have another child, who will be a tissue match for a bone marrow transplant, to be conducted in accordance with Jewish law. Shlomit Uziel is now undergoing PGD, extensive and expensive medical proce- dures at Chicago's Reproductive Genetics Institute. So far, in vitro fertilization has been attempted twice, unsuccessfully. The procedures are not covered by Israeli - National Insurance. The Uziels have received funds from friends and family, and administrative costs have been covered. They have received non-monetary donations, including housing and transportation. But they are still in need of assistance with medical costs. A goal of $200,000 would provide additional attempts at PGD. Send donations to: Uziel Family Fund — ARMDI, do BANK LEUMI USA, 1849 Green Bay Road, Suite 440, Highland Park, IL 60035 or online at: -wvvw.armdi.org , by entering "Uziel Family Fund" in the "optional comments" box. For information, call ARMDI, (312) 494-1902, or Bank Leumi, (847) 266- 4830. A West Bloomfield professional photographer who just opened a studio was so upset the State of Michigan scheduled a free tax seminar for new business own- ers on erev Yom Kippur that he complained to state officials on Aug. 25. The state eventually rescheduled the seminar. Fred Levine said was taken aback to learn the seminar at Oakland Community College in Farmington Hills was scheduled to run until 4 p.m. on Oct. 12. "This is the equivalent of holding a seminar on Christmas Eve. Even the State of Michigan offices are closed on Christmas Eve," Levine wrote in elec- tronic mail to the state. "I am sure this was an oversight, but to hold a seminar on the holiest day in Judaism is unconscionable especially in the county with the greatest Jewish population in the state." Patricia M. Kelly, a senior analyst in the Department of Treasury's Customer Services Bureau, apologized to Levine for the oversight, but first said the semi- nar could not be rescheduled. She assured him the state would be more cau- tious with future seminars. Levine told the JN he felt the response was insensitive — "essentially take it or leave it" - because there was sufficient time to change the date. On Aug. 30, she e-mailed the JN "Given the sensitivity of the date and its relationship to the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, we are canceling this seminar. Another seminar in Farmington Hills will be scheduled next spring. Again, we extend our sincerest apologies." Levine is looking forward to attending the spring seminar. — Robert A. Sklar, editor —Shelli Liebman Dorfman, staff writer Walking For A Cure Four-year-old Chloe Abrams of Oak Park is looking for help Sept. 18. According to a fund-raising letter from her aunt, Lynda Warshawsky of South Haven, Chloe was diagnosed 1 1 /2 years ago with Type 1 diabetes. She went home from the hospital "to a whole new routine of strictly watching her diet and needing 2-3 shots a day and 6-7 needles pokes to test her blood. "She has been such a trooper! ... Even last summer, at 3 1/2, she was testing her own blood! Now, she looks at the meter and asks, 'Is it good?' "Her mom and dad [Steve and Ivy Abrams] try their best to give her a nor- mal lifestyle. They must live on her schedule and watch her blood levels and food intake carefully. Sometimes her lev- els are so erratic that they must wake her every hour or two through the night to Chloe Abrams test her blood. "Chloe goes nowhere without her 'diabetes kit' in tow. She is currently on three types of insulin ... Even when she is sick she still must eat ... "At birthday and other school -parties, she can't eat what the other kids eat. She can't sleep over at a friend's and she can't sleep in in the morning (due to time regimen of her insulin). "So far, Chloe has had over 1,000 shots and 5,000 finger pokes." Chloe's family, including brother Elliott, 11, is participating in the Sept. 18 Walk to Cure Diabetes at the General Motors Technical Center in Warren. The Abrams are hoping that Chloe's Cure team will raise $2,500 for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation (JDRF). Tax-deductible checks made out to JDRF can be sent to Chloe's Cure c/ o Ivy Abrams, 25531 Colleen Street, Oak Park, MI 48237; or by credi t card at www.jdrf. org (click on "Support a Walker," then Ivy Ab rams and Chloe's Cure). For a related story, see Doer Profile, page 15 — Alan Hitsky, associate editor . Big Party In Flint Sept. 23-25 is the Sesquicentennial Celebration weekend for the city of Flint. The Jewish community has planned a number of events and is inviting all for- mer residents. At Friday night services at Temple Beth El on Sept. 23, the Flint Jewish Federation and the Max Hart Fund are sponsoring guest speaker Dr. Frederic Krome, managing editor of the American Jewish Archives. He will speak on the 350th anniversary of Jews in America. A reception follows. At Saturday morning Shabbat services at Congregation Beth Israel, Nancy Hanflik and Nora Faires, co-authors of a newly published book about the 100- year history of Jews in Flint, will discuss their work. A Kiddush luncheon will follow. The opening concert of the Flint Symphony Orchestra at Whiting AuditoriUm will begin at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24. Israeli violinist Vadim Gluzman is sponsored by the Flint Jewiskfederation. Tickets are $40. To order, call (810) 767-5922. A bagel brunch 10 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, at Congregation Beth Israel is being hosted by The Ivriah. "Down Memory Lane" auction, sponsored by Temple Beth El, will be held at the Sloan Museum at 7 p.m. Additional events during the 150th anniversary weekend include an Andy Warhol exhibit at the Flint Institute of Arts and an exhibit on Flint's history at the Sloan Museum. For information, go to cityofflint.com/150/ or flintjewishcommunity.org. — Alan Hitsky, associate editor PLEFET 'cha Don't Know In Hebrew gematria, letters have numerical values. The word for "one" (echad) has the numerical value of 13. Some say this influenced the found- ing fathers of the American republic. How? — Goldfein pal!un aria qJlunop auo olur saruoioD fr-u-r2uo j aria sioauuoo qUELU JO MO auo uinun snqynid a 'lido's spopEu Jno :Jamsuy 9/ 8 2005 13